Nesting and stacking container



Feb. 18, 1958 M. A. FRATER 2,823,829

NESTING AND STACKING CONTAINER Filed Feb. 1, 1956 4 sheets sheet 1 il ZX Feb. 18, 1958 M. A. FRATER NESTING AND STACKING CONTAINER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 1, 1956 Feb. 18, 1958 M. A. FRATER 2,823,829

NESTING AND STACKING CONTAINER Filed Feb. 1, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Feb. -18, 1958 M. A. FRATER 2,82

NESTING AND STACKING CONTAINER Filed Feb. 1, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 United States Patent 2,823,829 NESTING AND STACKING CONTAINER Milton A. Frater, Watertown, Wis.

Application February 1, 1956, Serial No. 562,758

7 Claims. (Cl. 220-97) The. present invention relates to upwardly open containers shaped to define on each container fixed abutments or supports so related to each other andto the Shaping. of the container that the container will nest in a similarly oriented lower container of identical construction or stack on the lower container upon being turned horizontally end for end relative to the lower container.

Qne object of. the invention is to provide an improved container of the above character having upper support saddles and lower support seats uniquely shaped and related to each other to effect between the upper support saddles of the container and the lower support seats of an identical container stacked thereon an interlocking relationship which holds the upper container against horizontal shifting movement in any direction relative to the supporting container even though the downwardly projected area of the lower end of the upper container is necessarily smaller for the purpose of nesting than the upwardly projected area of the open upper end of the supporting container.

Another object of the invention is to provide. an improved container of the character recited in which a novel, highly simplified shaping of the structure subjected to the most intensive loading substantially increases the overall strength and wearability of the container.

A" further object is to provide an improved container,

as recitedabove, having novel nesting and stacking supports strengthened by simple reinforcing means which forms sturdy handles for the container.

. Anadditional object is to provide improved containers of the above character which are uniquely adapted to be stacked together and unstacked by means of a fork lift truck or the like.

Another object is to provide improved containers of the above character which form, when stacked together,

convenient storage bins affording convenient access to every container in the stack.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description of exemplary forms of the; invention shown in the drawings, in which:

Figure. 1 is et-plan view of a container embodying the invention;

Fig. 2is a vertical sectional view taken with reference to line 2-2 of Fig. l and showing the lower end of an identical container stacked on the container of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a. left end view of the container of Fig. -l

and an identical container nested therein;

Fig. 4 is a righthand end view ofthe container of Fig. 1, whichis partially broken away to more clearly reveal an identical container nested. therein;

Fig. 5 is a. fragmentary horizontal vsectional view taken along. the line5-.-5 ofiFig. 2 and .showing the interlockingrelationship between an .uupperi support saddle on asupporting container and a'lower stacking seat of a container stacked thereon;

Pig." 6: is a'fragmentary sectional viewtakenalong the line 6-6 of Fig. 3 and illustrating the mutual support provided between a nesting abutment and a stackmg saddle at one end of nesting containers;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken. along the line 7-7 of Fig. 4 and illustrating the mutual support provided between a nesting abutment and a stacking saddle 'at the other end of the nesting containers;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along the line 8-3 of Fig. 3 and illustrating the convenient handles formed by reinforcing structure at the upper ends of the containers;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of a container forming a modified embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 10 is a left end view on a reduced scale of the container of Fig. 9.

The present application is a continuation-in-part of my co-pending application Serial No. 365,390, filed July 1, 1953.

Well suited to be easily molded integrally from plastic material internally reinforced by glass fibers or the like, the container forming the exemplary embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 8 is generally rectangular in shape as viewed from above, Fig. l. The integral construction of the container includes a flat bottom panel 10, Figs. 1 and 2, rounded upwardly along its peripheral edge to merge smoothly with the lower edges of two opposing longitudinal walls 12, 14 and with two opposing transverse walls 16, 18, the longitudinal and transverse walls merging together to constitute a peripheral wall extending continuously around the container.

As will be described presently in greater detail, nesting of the container in a similarly oriented lower container of identical construction is provided for by inclining the longitudinal walls 12, 14 and the transverse walls 16, 18 inwardly from top to bottom, Figs. 3 and'4, sufficiently to telescope into the open. upper end'of the lower container.

Even though the projected horizontal area of the open upper end of the container must be larger both longitudinally and transversely than the projected horizontal area of the lower end of the container to permit nesting together of identical containers, stacking support for an overlying container turned end for end relative to an underlying container isprovided for by an improved asymmetrical shaping of the two transverse walls 16, 18 of each container to form an upper level of support saddles and a lower level of stacking seats contoured to produce between the support saddles of the underlying container and the stacking seats on the overlying container a horizontal interlocking relationship capable of positively holding the upper container against either longitudinal or transverse shifting movement relative to the lower container.

Asshown in Figs. 1, 2 and 7, the upper end of the transverse container wall 18 is shaped "to form somewhat below the extreme upper edge of the wall two support saddles 20 spaced horizontally from each other and from the adjacent corners of the container. Each saddle 20 extends horizontally inward of the intervening portion 22 of the wall 18 and comprises a flat abutment surface 24 sloping upwardly and outwardly from the center of the container at a substantial angle (approximately 45) to the horizontal. The inner lower edge of the sloping surface 24 of each abutment 20 terminates ata ledge surface 26, Figs. 1 and 7, extending. to the adjacent inner face of the wall 18. Preferably each surface 24 is elongated transversely in relation to the container as shown in Fig. l.

Concave toward the central transverse plane of the container, each saddle 20 includes crowned heels-28, 30, Figs. 1, 5, and 7, rising upwardly from opposite ends of the saddle surface 24 to embrace the latter transversely with respect to the container.

The vertically extending portions 32, Figs. 1, 2 and 7, of the end wall 18 immediately underlying the respective saddles 20 swing inwardly along the underside of the saddle heel 28 across under the ledge 26 and back outwardly under the heel 30 with a curvature inwardly convex in the horizontal plane, which curvature becomes progressively larger from top to bottom, Figs. 1 and 4, to facilitate stacking of identical containers.

' The two saddles 20 thus formed at the upper end of the wall 18 are adapted to underlie and horizontally embrace two outwardly turned stacking seats 34 formed on the lower end of the opposite transverse wall 16 of an identical container, Figs. 1, 2 and 5.

As shown in Fig. l, the two seat-s 34 are located diagonally across the center of the container from the respective saddles 20 and spaced horizontally from each other and from the adjacent corners of the container. Both seats 34 are displaced outwardly somewhat from the intervening portion 36, Figs. 1 and 3, of the transverse wall 16.

Shaped to fit into the concave shaping of a coacting saddle 20, each seat 34 defines a flattened external abutting surface 37, Figs. 2, 3, dimensioned and oriented with a slope or inclination in relation to the horizontal to fit flat against the flattened surface 24 of the coacting saddle 20, as shown in Fig. 2. In this connection it may be observed that the medial spacing of the seat flats 37 from a vertical transverse plane through the center of the contai-ner is substantially equal to the medial spacing from this plane of the saddle flats 24, whereby turning of an overlying container end for end in relation to an underlying container brings the seat flats 37 into abutting engagement with a saddle flat 24 as recited.

It may be observed here that the reaction of each saddle 2(lon a stacking seat 34 supported by the saddle has, by virtue of the slope of the abutting surfaces 24, 37, a horizontal component inwardly toward the transverse center of the container, which component serves to hold the seats 34 and hence the adjacent end of the stacked container against outward shifting movement longitudinally in relation to the supporting container. Also, the end of the container supported in stacked position by the seats 34 is held against transverse shifting movement in relation to the supporting container by the embracing engagement of the heels 28, 39 of each saddle 20 with the respective, outwardly extending seats 34. More specifically, each saddle 20 embraces horizontally the coacting seat surface 37 and the adjacent overlying portion 38, Figs. 1, 2, and 5, of the container wall 10 which turns outwardly from the intervening wall portion 36 with an outwardly convex curvature in the horizontal plane, which increases progressively from bottom to top, Fig. 3.

The upper end of the transverse wall 16 is shaped to define two stacking saddles 40, Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 6, adjacent the respective longitudinal walls 12 and 14. 'Disposed .somewhat below the extreme upper edge of the transverse wall 16, each saddle 40 extends toward the central transverse plane of the container somewhat inwardly of the intervening wall portion 36 and defines a flattened abutment surface 42, Figs. 1, 2, and 6, inclined upwardly and outwardly in relation to the center of the container with a slope similar to that of the previously described saddle flats 24. The horizontal ends of the flats 42 adjacent the respective transverse walls 12, 14 are cupped around as shown in Fig. l to form heel portions 44 opposing each other across the container. Below each saddle 40 the transverse wall 16 swings horizontally inward along the inner edge of the saddle and curves into the adjacent longitudinal wall.

The two saddles 40 provide horizontalinterlocking, stacking'support for stacking seats 46, Figs. 1, 2 and 4, formed on the lower end of the transverse container wall 18 of an identical container at the twoadjacent corners of the container. Extending outwardly beyond the intervening portion 22 of the wall 3.8, each stacking seat46 defines a sloping surface 48,;1-"yigs, 2 and;4, shape d;'and

4 dimensioned to conform to the abutment surface 42 of the diagonally opposite saddle 40. The portions of the container wall 18 above the flats 46 curve convexly outward from the seat surface 48, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

The medial spacing of the seat surfaces 48 from a vertical transverse plane through the center of the container is substantially equal to the medial spacing from the same plane of the saddles 40 including the abutment surfaces 42. Thus when a container is turned end for end in relation to and rested on an identical container the seat surfaces 48 abut firmly against the saddle surfaces 42.

The horizontal component of the reaction of the sloping saddle surfaces 42 on the seat surfaces 48 stacked thereon, Fig. 2, holds the seats 46 and hence the entire container against longitudinal shifting movement outwardly over the saddles 40. Also, the opposing heel portions 44 of the surfaces 42 embrace the respective stacking seats 46 of the supported container on opposite sides relative to the container to hold the latter against horizontal shifting movement transversely in relation to the supporting container.

The cumulative reaction in the horizontal plane of the saddles 20 and 40 of a supporting container on the seats 34 and 46 of an identical container stacked thereon firmly holds the upper container against horizontal shifting movement either longitudinally or transversely in relation to the supporting container even though for the purpose of nesting the projected horizontal area of the open upper end of the latter is necessarily larger than the projected horizontal area of the lower end of the upper container.

Upon being turned to nest within a similarly oriented lower container, as indicated in Figs. 3, 4, 6 and 7, a nested container is supported on the saddles 20 and 40 of the lower container by means of nesting abutments integrally formed on each container in a manner which provides worthwhile mutual reinforcement between the nesting abutments and the stacking saddles on the same container. Thus two nesting abutments 50 are formed on the transverse wall 18 in immediate underlying relation to the respective stacking saddles 20, as shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 7, by thickening the inwardly curving portions 32 of the wall from the ledges 26 downwardly a distance sufficient to provide the desired elevational differential between consecutive containers nested to gether. As shown in Fig. 7, the nesting abutments 50 of an upper container rest on the saddle ledges 26 of the supporting container, which ledges in turn are reinforced by similar nesting abutment structure on the lower container. The saddles 20 and the nesting abutments 50 thus formed in mutually supporting relation to each other are capable of distributing applied loads to supporting structure on the container, which as. will appear presently is exceptionally strong for its-weight.

. Another pair of nesting abutments 52 are formed at the other end of the container in'mutually reinforcing relation to the saddles 40 by externally thickening the portions of the wall 16 underlying the saddles from the saddles downwardly, Figs. 3 and 6, to the verticallevel of the abutments 50. As shown in Fig. 6, the nesting abutments 52 on the nesting container rest on the saddles 40 of the container next below.

, The upper extremities of the saddles 20 and the intervening portion 22 of the transverse wall 18 at the right hand end, Fig. 1, of the container merge with a ledge 54, Figs. 1, 2, and 7 projecting horizontally outward to an extreme edge extending straight across the container from the two adjacent corners. As shown in Fig. 7, the outer edge of the ledge 54 is. reinforced b 7 upper edges of the longitudinal walls 12, 14 to the op posite end of the container. There the wire 56 internally ,reinforces ,thestraight outer edge of a ledge 58, Figs. 1.

aaasg'aas 6 and 8, projecting. horizontally: outward fromtheupper extremities of the saddles 40 and of the intervening portion 36 of the container wall 16;

The medial portions of the horizontal ledges 54, 58 projecting outwardly from the intervening portions 22, 36 of the respective transverse walls 18, 16 form convenient carrying handles at opposite ends of the container. As will be appreciated with referenceto Fig. 8, illustrating the central portion of the ledge 58, the tips of the four fingers on one hand, whenplaced in lifting position against the under side of the ledge, are prevented from slipping out from under the ledge by the downwardly enlarged outer edge of theledge which embeds the reinforcing wire 56. An equally convenient handle is formed by the ledge 54 at the other end of the container.

Extraordinary strength and wearability are thus provided in a container of lightweight construction well adapted to be economically molded integrally from plastic internally reinforced by embedded glass fibers or the like. If desired, a cord of glass fibers can be used in place of the reinforcing wire 56. Exceptional sturdiness is afforded from lightweight construction by highly effective reinforcement of the container structure subjected to the most intensive loading.

Stress concentrations in the support saddles 20, 40 and in the stacking seats 34, 46 are avoided by the flattened shaping of the load bearing surfaces 24, 42 of the saddles and'37, 48 of the seats. Thus the bearing forces applied to each stacking seat surface 37, for example, are distributed to the connecting portion of the bottom panel 10, Fig. 2, and tothe adjacent outwardly convex portion 38 of the transverse wall 16. The curved shaping in the horizontal plane of the adjoining wall portion 38 multiplies the resistance to buckling of this seat support structure under vertical loads applied through the seat 34. This inherent resistanceto buckling and the resulting load bearing strength of each seat supporting wall segment 38 are futher increased by the horizontal support provided to the segment by its iuterconnection to the bottom panel 10.

As shown in Fig. 2, each stacking seat 34 is strengthened still further by thickening. the plastic material 60 of the container. backing up and surrounding the seat. Thickening of the material 60 defining and immediately surrounding the seat 34 shown in Fig. 2 istypical for all four stackingseats, 34, 46. Horizontal and vertical the seats 34, is aiforded by the bottom panel and by the outwardly curving segments of the transverse wall 18 immediately overlying the seats 46. Preferably, the strength resistance to impact of the two lower corners of the container adjacent the seats34 is increased by shaping these corners to define external flats 62,v as. indicated in Figs. 1 and 3.

The flattened bearing surfaces 24, 42 of. the upper saddles 20, 40 distribute applied bearing loads to'the inwardly curved underlying portions of the container wall 18, 16, which portions by virtue of their curvature in a horizontal plane have extraordinarily high load bearing strength. Moreovenloads applied to the saddles 20, 40 are distributed to the curvingsupport structure by the thickened structure underlying the saddles and defining the previously described nesting abutments 50, 52.

By bridging the curving portions of the transverse walls 18, 16, which support the saddles 20, 40,. the ledges 54, 58 aflord additional horizontal stability and hence further resistance to buckling of the curving wall portions subjected to most intensive'loading.

It will be appreciated that the invention may be embodied in containers of widely varying size; Convenient stacking and unstacking of large size containers is facilitated, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, by reducing the height of thelongitudinal walls 12, 14 between opposite ends of the container as indicated by the reference numerals 66, 68. This feature provides suflicient vertical clearance between the upper edges of the medial portions of the longitudinal walls 12, 14 of a lower container and the bottom panel 10 of an upper container stacked thereon, Fig. 2, to permit the tines (not shown) of a fork lift truck, for example, to move transversely over the supporting container after stacking on the upper container or in preparation for lifting oflf the upper container.

Containers embodying the invention may be readily modified, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10, to form when stacked together convenient storage bins for small objects or the like. Components of this modified form of the invention are designated with the same reference numerals, with the addition of the subscript a, as similar com ponents of the containers shown in Figs. 1 to 8.

As illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10, convenient use of the container in a stack as a storage bin is provided simply by increasing to approximately degrees the angle of inclination of the respective longitudinal walls 12a and 14a from the vertical sothat the upper edges of these walls extend a substantial distance from the adjacent longitudinal edges of the bottom panel 10a. Opposite ends of the respective transverse walls 16a, 18a, are lengthened from bottom to top to join the adjacent ends of the longitudinal'walls 12a and 14a at the respective corners of the container.

It will be understood that the stacking seats 34a and 46a of an upper container turned end for end relative to and stacked on a lower container are supported vertically and held against horizontal shifting movement by the saddles 20a and 40a of the supporting container. The space between the outwardly sloping longitudinal walls 12a and 14a of the underlying container and the adjacent longitudinal structure of the upper container provides free access to the lower container. Moreover, the contents of a plurality of storage bin containers stacked together can be seen from a viewpoint slightly above the respective containers, thus avoiding the necessity for labeling the containers as to the identity of contents.

While I have shown and described preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be apparent that numerous variations and modifications thereof may be made without departing from the underlying principles and scope of the invention. I therefore desire, by the following claims, to include all such variations and modifications by which substantially the results of my invention may be obtained through the use of substantially the same or equivalent means.

I claim:

1. An integral upwardly open container adapted to nest in a similarly oriented lower container or to stack thereon substantially within the projected horizontal area thereof upon being turned end for end relative thereto, comprising, in combination, a fiat horizontal bottom panel generally rectilinear in its overall outline, two longitudinal walls rising upwardly from opposite side edges of said bottom panel and inclined away fromeach other from bottom to top, two transverse walls rising upwardly from opposite ends of said bottom panel and inclined away from each other from bottom to top, adjacent ends of said longitudinal and transverse walls merging together, each transverse wall being shaped to define near the upper edge thereof two horizontally spaced support saddles, each of said saddles defining a flattened inner bearing surface inclinedupwardly and outwardly inrelation to theinterior of the container, the two saddles on each transverse wall together having heel portions risingupwardly from the adjacent saddle bearing surfaces and embracing the latter horizontally in opposite directions transversely with re spect to said bottom panel, the vertical portions of said transverse walls extending from said respective saddles to said bottompanel bulging inward from adjoining portions of therespective transverse walls, saidinwardly bulging portions of said transverse walls being thickened outwardly from the respective saddles downwardly a distance equal to only a fraction of the height of said transverse walls to define nesting abutments underlying said respective saddles in mutually reinforcing relation thereto, two horizontally spaced stacking seats formed at the lower edge of each transverse wall opposite said respective saddles at the upper edge of the opposite transverse wall, each stacking seat defining a flattened outer bearing surfaceshaped and inclined to conform to the shape and inclination of the bearing surface of the opposite saddle, the medial spacing of said stacking seat bearing surfaces from a vertical transverse plane through the center of the container being substantially equal to the medial spacing from the same plane of said respective saddle bearing surfaces diagonally opposite therefrom, the vertical portions of said transverse walls extending upwardly from said re spective stacking seats to the top the transverse walls bulging outward in relation to adjoining portions of the respective transverse walls, and two ledges integrally adjoining the upper edges of said respective transverse walls and extending horizontally outwardly therefrom to form convenient support handles at opposite ends of the container reinforcing said bulging portions of said transverse walls and said support saddles thereon.

J 2. An upwardly open container shaped to either nest in or stack on a lower identical container within the projected horizontal area of the latter, comprising, in combination, a horizontal bottom panel generally rectilinear in overall outline, a peripheral wall extending upwardly from substantially the entire periphery of said bottom panel and inclined outwardly from bottom to top, at least three support saddles formed on said container near the top of said wall and located in a pattern which in its over- ;all outline in the horizontal plane overlies the center of the horizontal area of said bottom panel, each of said saddles defining a flattened inner bearing surface inclined upwardly and outwardly in relation to the center of the container, said saddles including heel portions thereof rising upwardly from said abutment surfaces thereof in horizontally embracing relation to said surfaces, the vertical sections of said wall below said saddles bulging inward in relation to adjoining horizontal portions of the wall, a plurality of stacking seats equal in number to said saddles and formed on the container near the lower edge of said wall opposite said respective saddles, each seat being shaped outwardly to conform to the inner shaping of the opposite saddle and defining a flattened outer bearing surface sloping upwardly and outwardly in relation to the interior of the container with an inclination con- 7 forming to that of said flattened surface of the opposite saddle, the medial horizontal spacing of said stacking seats from the horizontal center of said bottom panel being substantially equal to the medial horizontal spacing from the same center of said saddles opposite said respective seats, and the vertical portions of said wall extending upwardly from said respective seats to the top of the wall bulging outward in relation to the adjoining horizontal portions of the wall.

3. An integral upwardly open container adapted to nest in a similarly oriented lower container of identical construction or to stack thereon upon being turned end for end relative thereto, comprising, in combination, a generally rectangular bottom panel, two longitudinal walls extending upwardly in diverging relation to each other bottom panel bulging inward in relation to adjoining portions of theatra'nsverse walls, two horizontally spaced stacking seats formed at the lower edge of each transverse wall opposite the respective support saddles at the upper edge of the other transverse wall, each stacking seat defining a flattened outer bearing surface shaped and inclined to conform to the bearing surface of the opposite support saddle, the medial spacing of said bearing surface of each stacking seat from a transverse vertical plane through the center of said bottom panel being substantially equal to the medial spacing from the same plane of the bearing surface of the opposite support saddle, and the portions of said transverse walls extending upwardly from said respective stacking seats to the top of the respective transverse walls bulging outward with respect to horizontally adjoining portions of the transverse walls.

4. An upwardly open integral container adapted to nest within a similarly oriented lower container of identical construction or stack thereon upon being turned end for end in relation thereto, comprising, in combination, a generally rectangular bottom panel, two longitudinal walls extending upwardly in diverging relation to each other from opposite side edges of said bottom panel, two transverse walls extending upwardly in diverging relation to each other from opposite ends of said bottom panel and merging with opposite ends of said longitudinal walls, the upper edge of each transverse wall being shaped to define two horizontally spaced support saddles, each saddle being horizontally concave toward a transverse vertical plane through the center of said bottom panel, the portions of said transverse walls extending downwardly from said respective saddles to said bottom panel bulging inward in relation to adjoining horizontal portions of the respective transverse walls, each inwardly bulging transverse wall portion underlying a support saddle being externally thickened from the saddle downwardly a substan tial distance to define an external nesting abutment, the maximum horizontal spacing of each nesting abutment from said vertical plane being substantially greater than the minimum horizontal spacing from the same plane of the immediately overlying support saddle, two stacking seats formed at the lower edge of each transverse wall opposite the respective support saddles on the opposite transverse wall, the medial spacing of said stacking seats from said vertical plane being substantially equal to the medial spacing from the same plane of the support saddles opposite said respective seats, the portions of said transverse walls extending upwardly from said respective stacking seats to the top of the walls bulging outwardly in relation to horizontally adjoining portions of the respective transverse walls, and handle ledges extending horizontally outward from the upper edges of said respective transverse walls in bridging relation to said bulging portions thereof.

5. An integral upwardly open container adapted to nest in a similarly oriented lower container of identical construction or stack thereon upon being turned end for end relative thereto, comprising, in combination, a generally rectangular bottom panel, two longitudinal walls extending upwardly in diverging relation to each other from opposite side edges of said bottom panel, two transverse walls extending upwardly in diverging relation to each other from opposite ends of said bottom panel and merging with adjacent ends of said longitudinal walls, two horizontally spaced support saddles formed on the upper edge of each transverse wall, each support saddle defining a flattened inner bearing surface inclined upwardly and outwardly in relation to the center of thecontainer, the support saddles on each transverse wall together defining heel members rising above the adjacent saddle bearing surfaces and cupped alongside said bearing surfaces transversely in relation to said bottom panel, the portions of said transverse walls extending from said respective saddles downwardly to said bottom panelfbulging inward in relation to adjoining horizontal portions of said'respective transverse walls, each of said inwardly bulging transverse wall portions being thickened outwardly from the overlying support saddle downwardly for a fraction of the total height of the transverse wall to define thereon a nesting abutment, the maximum horizontal spacing of each nesting abutment from a transverse vertical plane through the center of said bottom panel substantially exceeding the minimum horizontal spacing from said plane of the overlying support saddle, two horizontally spaced stacking seats formed at the lower edge of each transverse wall oppositely said respective support saddles at the upper edge of the other transverse wall, each seat defining an outer bearing surface shaped and. inclined to conform to the shape and inclination of said bearing surface on the opposite support saddle, the medial spacing of said respective stacking seat bearing surfaces from said vertical plane being substantially equal to the medial spacing from the same plane of the bearings surface of the opposite support saddles, the vertical portions of said transverse walls extending upwardly from said respective stacking seats to the top of said walls bulging outward in relation to horizontally adjoining portions of said transverse Walls, and a substantial horizontal section of each longitudinal wall terminating vertically a substantial distance below said support saddles to provide substantial vertical clearance between the latter and said longitudinal wall sections to facilitate stacking and unstacking of identical containers.

6. An upwardly open integral container adapted to nest within a similarly oriented lower container of identical construction or stack thereon upon being turned end for end relative thereto, comprising, in combination, a generally rectangular bottom panel, two transverse walls extending upwardly from opposite ends of said bottom panel and inclined outwardly in relation to each other from bottom to top sufiiciently to nest within similar walls of an identical container, two longitudinal walls extending upwardly from opposite sides of said bottom panel and merging at opposite ends with adjacent ends of said transverse walls, said longitudinal walls being inclined outwardly from bottom to top at an angle of inclination much greater than that of said transverse walls and sufficient to provide a horizontal displacement between the upper edge of each longitudinal wall and the lower edge thereof adequate for free access to the interior of the container bounded by said longitudinal and transverse walls, one of said transverse walls defining at the upper edge thereof two support saddles, each saddle defining an inner bearing surface inclined upwardly and outwardly in relation to the center of the container, said saddles including heel portions rising upwardly above said bearing surfaces thereof and together horizontally embracing said bearing surfaces transversely with respect to said bottom panel, the other transverse wall defining at least one support saddle at the upper edge thereof, said last mentioned support saddle defining an inner bearing surface thereon inclined upwardly and outwardly from the center of the container, said other wall defining heel portions rising above and horizontally embracing said last mentioned saddle bearing surface transversely with respect to said bottom panel, the vertical portions of said transverse walls extending downwardly from said respective saddles to said bottom panel bulging inward in relation to adjoining portions of said respective transverse walls, stacking seats equal in number to said support saddles formed at the lower edges of said transverse walls opposite said respective support saddles, each stacking seat defining an outer bearing surface shaped and inclined to conform to the bearing surface of the opposite support saddle, the medial spacing of said respective stacking seat bearing surfaces from a transverse vertical plane through the center of said bottom panel being substantially equal to the medial spacing from the same plane of the opposite saddle bearing surfaces, and the vertical portions of said transverse walls extending upwardly to the top thereof from said respective seats bulging outward in relation to the adjoining horizontal portions of the respective transverse walls.

7. An integral container made of a molded glass fiber reinforced plastic, having flat inwardly sloping side walls, inwardly sloping end Walls having vertical convolutions therein, said convolutions curving horizontally inward and horizontally outward alternately and tapering vertically in width, a bottom having a shape corresponding to that of the lower edges of the side and end walls, a regular shaped bead at the upper edges of the side and end walls, and shelf portions bridging the upper ends of the respective inwardly curving convolutions of the end Walls, said shelf portions having their upper surfaces below that of the top of the bead, said respective outwardly curving convolutions of each end wall being located opposite the respective inwardly curving convolutions bridged by said shelf portions at the opposite end wall, and the maximum horizontal distance of the lower ends of the outwardly curving convolutions of each end wall from the horizontal center of the container exceeding the minimum spacing from the same center to the shelf portions at the upper ends of the inwardly curving convolutions of the opposite end wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,420,215 Wiley May 6, 1947 2,599,727 Schmidt June 10, 1952 2,655,283 Moldt Oct. 13, 1953 2,742,181 Jarund Apr. 17, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 718,208 Great Britain Nov. 10, 1954 

